Bobby pin tray



Jan. 8, 1952 LQCKE 2,581,592

BQBBY PIN TRAY File d March 14, 1950 [/V VE/V 0/? 1 6% A Patented Jan. 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE r BOBBY PIN TRAY Burton H. Locke, Framingham, Mass. Application March 14, 1950, Serial No. 149,478

2 Claims. (Cl; 132-1) opened on the top edge thereof by pulling the prongs of the pins apart downwardly from the said edge with one hand, after one of the prongs has been positioned on the said edge, while the other hand is being utilized to hold the lock of hair to be pinned.

Another object is to combine apin opening means at the top edge of a tray where it will always be at hand and be positioned most conveniently for use as the pins are removed from the tray for application to the hair.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by the provision of a suitable edge at the top of the sides of the tray for easy wedging between the prongs of bobby pins to start the a downward pull on the top of the tray will not the base larger in area than the projected area opening thereof as the pin is pushed thereagainst as it is handled in one hand from the tray to the hair which is being held in the other hand, and to afford a tray that will not tip or move about as the pressure of opening the pin is applied to the said upper edge of the tray.

The procedure of opening bobby pins in the manner to be set forth herein will eliminate the present usual methods of opening the pins on ones teeth or finger nails or on parts of furniture which will thus avoid the possibilities of damage to the teeth or nails or to furniture, respectively.

In order to afford a tray that will permit quick and proper placement of the pin thereon for spreading of the prongs, I conceive to provide a relative sharp wedge-shaped corner on the top of the rim by shaping the said corner in the form of an acute angle. Such a corner facilitates the'initial wedging open of the prongs of the pm as the pin is'pushed thereagainst which assures the placing of one of the prongs, preferably the longer prong, on the top surface of the tray while theother prong is pulled downwardly with the fingers which effects maximum at the top of the rim to confine the pressure within the area ofthe base and thus avoid the tendency to tip under downward pressure.

By teaching the procedure of opening the pins by a downward pull on the lower prong while the pin rests on top of the tray rather than pushing the pin onto a wedge-shaped surface to open it, I minimize the tendency to slide the tray in the opening operation. In other words,

tend to move the tray. I further conceive to concentratethe mass of the structure at the base of the tray which will assist in retaining the tray from tipping and from moving as the pins are opened thereon.

I am unaware of any tray whereon bobby pins may be opened on the outer top edge thereof by catching one of the prongs thereon and then pulling the other prong down the side of the tray without being tipped or being moved about in the process. Also, I am unaware of a teaching of opening bobby pins on the top edge of a a tray in this manner.

It is obvious that several forms of trays could be constructed that would incorporate my conceived structure of a tray that will permit bobby pins to be opened in the manner set forth on the top outer edge thereof. The accompanyingdrawing shows two modifications in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved tray in its simplest form.

Figure 2 is a section taken. on line 22, of Figure 1. i

. Figure 3 isa plan view of a modified form of tray embodying the invention.

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 44, of Figure3.

Referring to Figures l and 2, my improved tray for bobby pins comprises a relatively large base It! having upwardly extended sides II to form a cavity [2 to hold the pins. The structure is generally molded of a rigid material such as glass; metal; plastic, or the like, so as to afford a substantial surface on which the pins may be applied to be opened. Obviously, the structure could be of any suitable shape, such as round as shown in Figure 1, or of a scalloped design as shown in Figure 3, or it could be square or rectangular or oval, or of any other desirable shape.

The upper outer corner [3 of the sides H of the tray is in'the form of an acute angle, or wedge, efiected by the top surface I4, of the sides, being inclined downwardly and the outer 7 surface It, thereof, inclined inwardly and is pulling the lower prong downwardly while the upper prcngvis left resting on the top surface M. The initial openedpin is shown in dotted lines I! while the final opened pin is shown in full lines 18. The pin is then held open by the corners'26 lie substantially within the area of the base 2|] so that the tray will not tip when the pressure required to pull the pins open is applied to the top of the tray.

The corner portions 26 can be easily located by feel by the following of a finger along the scalloped edge of the tray rendering it unnecessary for one to look at the tray to find the wedgeshaped corners prior to, applying the pinsthereto. A felt, or other soft pad 21 is generally cemented or otherwise attached to the bottom of V the tray to afford a cushion for the tray to rest ones fingers until it isifinally slid over the hair I held by the persons other hand;

' The inward inclination, or concaving, of the outer surface It of the sides of the tray affords clearance space for theflower prong of the pin to occupy as it is pulled d wnwarmynom the outer top corner'bf the tray. Obviously proper operation of the "opening or the pinwouldbe best served if the long prong of the p'in"'was positioned on the top "surface I' l. However, it has been found that theopening'of the pin can be properly effected with either of 'thejprongs being positioned o'r'i'the top surface M'Wh'ile the other prong is pulled downwardly. l

The base In is constructed substantially larger in area than the projected area at the outer top corner [3 of the sides of the 'tray'so that the tray will not tip when thepressurejrequire'd, to open thepin is applied to the" said corner l3. :The mass of the structure, and resultant weight, is concentrated at the base, of the tray and this fact combined with the fact that the construction of the trayis such'thatfthe pins arefop'enedby a. downward pull on thejtray rather than a push on the same, "affords a structur'e'that will [not slide about'during the, process of opening pins thereon. f Therefore, it is not necessary that the tray be held as the pins are opened. thereon which leaves one hand free to holdthe hair as" the pin is lifted from the tray and openedjonthe duter top edge of the tray with the o'therhand.

In the scalloped form shown in Eig lfes 3 and f the effective base portion 20 of the tray is formed by the convex portions 2| of the tray. having'substantially vertical sides 22 thatextendflflmthe top surface 23 to the base 20. The top-surface 23 inclines downwardly in the same manner andfor the same purpose as the top surface M of the tray in the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2. The sides 24 of the concaved portions 2 5 of the s'callopedstructure are inclined inwardly to form acute, or wedge-shaped, corner portions" 26 on which the pins may be initially opened" in the same manner as on the corners I3 'o'f the former described structure; 'As in the former structure,

on,,as is common practice in the art.

As stated above, many'modified forms or styles oftrays-maybe constructed that would meet the conceived requirements set forth herein to form "a tray wherinbobby pins may be conveniently opened on the top edge thereof. Therefore, I do not wish to be confined to the exact details set forth as the same, may be modified within the scope; of e the renew claims;

1' claim:

1. Atray comprising abody having a base and upwardly disposed sides to form a cavity suitable to receive bobby pins, the outer surface of the said sides being co'n caved intermediate the outer .top edge thereof and the said base, the portion of said base that supports the structure being larger in area than the projected area. at the said outer top edge of the sides, the mass of the structure being concentrat'eci at the base, the said. .outer'top' edge of the sides being. substan tially wedge-shaped to facilitate be ng wed ed between'the prongs of bobby pins that maybe pressed thereagainstfin the process of opening the said pins set forth."

' 2. Atray com risi g a body having a base and upward y diSpbsed sides to form 'a cavity suitable to receive b'obby'pins, portions of the surface of the saidsidesf'being undercut intermediate the outer tope'dgethereof and'the said base, the portion of said base thatsupports' the structure being larger in area than the projected area at the outer, edge'ofthe saidportions of the surface of 'theYs'lidesithe'mass of the structure being concentrated at 'thfbasejthe said outer edgeof the sides being substantially wedge-shaped to facilitate being wedged" between the prongs of bobby pins" that may be, pressed thereagainst in the process ofv openingthesaid pins as set forth;

.. s UR H. OCKE R FEltENQES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED 'S 'I-ATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,226,237 Cooper. Dec.24, 19 40 2295 21 new s t 1' '4 

